IRC interview with Dave Georgeson (QIX) founder of tribes/2

Cr8or

This discussion happened on the IRC network 'Quakenet' on channel #gameshrine. This is an edited log from tonight's IRC. We've taken out the hundreds of lines of people joining and leaving the channel, resulting in the core discussion.

*** QIX has joined #gameshrine
[QIX] Howdy folks.
[SUDS] lo
[CHADMAN] hey QIX
[BRIT] hi Dave
[SUDS] hi dave
* QIX whistles quietly and waits
* QIX grins
* Chadman hands QIX some popcorn.
[SUDS] ok
[SUDS] Hello everyone and welcome to the Gameshrine interview with QIX, Dave Georgeson of Dynamix
[QIX] Well...a bit of intro first.
[QIX] heh
[SUDS] QIX wont be answering any Private messages
[SUDS] or any queries directly
[SUDS] so please dont message him or the ops
[SUDS] submit your questions on #gameshrine.questions
[QIX] I'm the Producer/Director for the T2 project. We're getting pretty close to completion now...but that's a relative thing and that's also as close to a date that you'll be hearing from me during this interview. Heh.
[QIX] We'll be reopening the beta soon (jokingly referred to as the "meta" because it's a bigger, better beta) and that will be a short test to confirm that stuff is ready.
[SUDS] Thanks QIx
[QIX] I'm glad to see so many of you here today. That's awesome. I can't wait for this thing to be done so you can play it.
[SUDS] We will start with some questions from the www.euro-tribesplayers.com which have some good ones
* QIX warms up his fingers
[QIX] Yes?

[SUDS] lots of people have asked the same question :: Whats makes T2 different from T1 ?
[QIX] LOL, You're kidding, right?
[SUDS] no, 20 ppl asked:)
[QIX] Okay, okay...
[QIX] Ground vehicles, completely different air physics, new weapons, better gameplay, a whole community section that will set the standard for games like this in the future, better graphics, different game types and more.
[QIX] But most of that can be seen by visiting www.tribes2.com
[SUDS] thanks,

[SUDS] this one comes from Jehova of MnO
[SUDS] "I've heard people saying that the WON system can only service 2 clients at a time from behind a Network Address Translated firewall. I've also heard other people saying that no such restriction exists. Which claim is true? "
[QIX] First of all...no worries. We're not using any WON-specific features except the authentication server itself.
[QIX] And I'm not sure what they're worried about anyway. What is the problem that they're concerned about?
[QIX] That they won't be able to have more than two people playing from behind a firewall?
[SUDS] yup
[SUDS] seems to be a major worry
[QIX] I have no idea why that would be an issue. Of course, they'll need to open a hole in the firewall, the same as they would for any game, but it should work just fine.
[SUDS] ok

[CARO] With CS WON-ids, it seemed that you could only have 2 people playing from a firewall, even if everyone had different IDs
[QIX] caro...I'm sorry, but that question is so tech-specific that I'd have to go do tests to answer it. I don't think it will be an issue.
[CARO] Okie, just curious!

[SUDS] This one comes from CL Dougle : .12Will tribes2 have half-life style netcode where it corrects for latency? what are the major differences in netcode for tribes2 from tribes1...
[QIX] The Tribes franchise has always had the best netcode in gaming. We do not emulate Half-life when our code in T1 was better in the first place.
* QIX tries not to sound too smug there...but it's true.
[SUDS] t1 was best for modem users
[CARO] it was ok on 10Mb too...
[CHADMAN] lol
[QIX] We're experimenting a bit with latency correction, but in general, it's very bad to penalize folks with good connects.
[SUDS] cool, as an LPB i am happier now

[CHADMAN] Question from <RussianTribes> Is it possible to realize in T2 such system like Quizmo-proxy in QuakeWoorld? To play through faster servers .
[QIX] I'm unfamliar with Quizmo-proxy. I'm sorry. But you can easily choose faster servers from our Master Server list. CPU speed and ping are both listed there and you can sort the lists easily.
[QIX] With a good use of filters on your server selects, you can strip out all the ones you would never join anyway.
[QIX] Even country-specific filters can be made.
[SUDS] Qix : they mean Proxy where you can piggy back to make a further connect
[SUDS] its Qizmo

[CARO] Question: What video cards are recommended?
[DEA_] caro: i think that we all know
[QIX] Video cards? Hmm...touchy question with 3Dfx's recent belly-flop...
[QIX] Well...the GeForce series is great.
[CARO] (dea, there are more than just tribers here, so we can ask again )
[QIX] We'll support a whole horde of other cards...including the 3Dfx ones.
[SUDS] k
[SUDS] which do you use?
[QIX] But 3Dfx isn't around to do driver support any longer...so who knows how long they will stay up to date.
[QIX] I have a GeForce2 myself.
[SUDS] snap
[QIX] My system is a PII 400 though.
[DEA_] hehhe

[CARO] is the map editor that easy as they say?
[QIX] caro...that's a relative question. The map editor is WAY easier to use than T1's and it's very powerful. But you could play with it for weeks and still be discovering new things, so it's all in how much you want to use it.

[SUDS] 1 last netcode issue shonk asked - if u get a chance ask if we gona get a seperate europe master list so we dont have to wade through the huge usa list like t1.
[QIX] Suds...you can filter your master servers to only show country-specific servers. It will let you strip down the refresh list a lot.
[SUDS] sound cool

[BRIT] From <DjLando>.1 How does Tribes 2 intend to deal with cheaters ? The Counter-Strike community has been severely affected by this; will Tribes 2 be cheat proof?
[QIX] Brit...nothing is cheat "proof", but we're very aggressively making it as proof as possible. The client-side OpenGL hacks are the worst cheats (the ones that started after those damn drivers were published).
[DEA_] all spam asus for those
[CHADMAN]
[QIX] We are working on the concept of creating a "Pure Server" concept that people can run. This type of dedicated server would not allow ANY changes (no scripts, no substitutions, etc.) and could be used for competitions. We don't recommend that it be used except in competition situations because it would prevent people from using cool scripts in regular pub games.
[QIX] Lamer...no...it's impossible to camp spawn points. Our spawn points are randomized in a large area.

[BRIT] Dave, will Tribes 2 prevent the multitude of script cheats that Tribes 1 suffered from ?
[QIX] Brit...largely...yes. Although I'm sure that we'll find new ones. We definitely CRC our stuff now though, so no Happy Flags.

[CHADMAN] Question to Dave: Apart from eye-candy, what is the hook u are offering to us T1 lovers. I mean why would one change to T2 if you are altering the behaviours of the models and making the game slower etc. I personally have doubts T2 won't beat T1 in gameplay. Convince me it will.
[QIX] That's a loaded question.
[CHADMAN]
[QIX] We're not making the game slower.
[QIX] And I personally have doubts that you won't think T2 rocks all over T1.
[QIX] heh
[QIX] But the tactical options open to you in T2 are much more varied than you had in T1.
[QIX] Cloak packs make assassins and harrying attacks possible.
[QIX] Sensors are much easier to use and more intuitive.
[QIX] The command system is way better.
[QIX] The ground vehicles add more tactical options (mobile point bases and tanks).
[CARO] The cloak pack still has some extras even when not on?
[QIX] The air vehicles include a bomber that can be used for lots of things.
[QIX] Caro...yes...cloak packs make you invisible to radar even when in passive mode.
[QIX] And, answering the original question, the core gameplay is still the same.
[CHADMAN]
[QIX] The suits, weapons, skiing, packs, etc., are all still very recognizable and even better tuned.

[CARO] Question: We have water, why no boats?
[CHADMAN] jetskis?
[QIX] caro...you're speaking to my add-on list now...
[CHADMAN] sorry, bad pun
[QIX] ; )
[CARO]
[QIX] But the grav cycle acts like a water ski now.
[CARO] sweet!

[DEA_] Question: While the heavys seem to be as agile (discounting the airphysics that slow you down like hell), why did you disable the all-time-favorite MineDisk?
[QIX] dea_ where did you get the info that the "airphysics slow you down like hell"?
[DEA_] well, if you have them there as you tell, wouldnt a big pile of flying steel slow down?
[QIX] Minedisking was removed because it gave a Light the same power as a Heavy with a mortar (or similar). It threw off the balance in ways we didn't want to happen and so it was removed and other things were added to the Light instead.
[DEA_] ok
[DEA_] i will miss it still
[QIX] dea_ I was just responding the loaded emotion in the question. Yes, the heavies get impeded by air resistance. But they can still ski. Just not Mach5 like they did in T1 (which was very unbalancing to the game).
[CHADMAN] i wont

[CARO] Is it only lights who can drive vehicles?
[QIX] caro...the only vehicle that is Light-specific is the grav cycle. All the others can be piloted by mediums and lights.

[CHADMAN] Question : Has it been decided yet if the vehicles are going to have limited ammo, or is that dependent on vehicle ? Followon Question : If reloading is to take place has it been decided how, and how the pilot/gunner will be warned when it is getting close to time to rearm ?
[QIX] Valen...vehicles use energy for all weapons. We did this because it allows player to decide how much they want to fire. The energy in the vehicle gets used for three things...weapons, afterburners, and shields. So if you fire a lot, your vehicle is weaker. If you afterburn a lot, well...you see. It's all a player decision this way.
[CHADMAN] ah, so flying the vehicles isnt a case of flying around with cg's on full...u have to think about it

[BRIT] asks : is t2 going to the clanbase or does it have any other kind of clanranking-system when it comes out?
[QIX] Lukee...at the time of release, T2 will use all the regular systems that you're used to. Eventually, we will incorporate a ladders and ranking system into the game itself so that more people try that kind of gaming out (because we think it rocks). But it is NOT intended to replace the external ladders/ranking systems. Merely supplement them and get more people hooked on that sort of gaming.

[CHADMAN]<RussianTribes&lg; Can scripters port their T1 script-packs to T2 with some changes, or it's impossible,and they need to write scripts again ?
[QIX] Chadman...I'm not sure about scripts porting over. The ideas will be similar, but most likely the scripts will need work.

[DEA_]<dtn|away> What will be the top player limit on the servers - is this map dependant or server dependant. How many players would be preferable on the average map in t2 ?
[QIX] dtn...the top limit on servers will initially be 64 players, but should be able to go up from there as servers and client machines get faster.

[BRIT] Dave : speaking as a member of a community which stretches across both geographical and cultural boundaries, will Tribes 2 offer any options for ingame multi lingual support, either via region specific audio or text packs ?
[QIX] Brit...the localization issue...
[QIX] At the beginning the game will be in English. This was a decision made by Marketing/Sales.
[QIX] However, we're supporting all international keyboards that we can find...and...
[QIX] ...we are going to be putting in Language filters later on.
[BRIT] Dave, thats great to hear.

[SUDS] Tequn Rijar of Choas Legion, asked Will Dynamix ever try to create a fantasy-roleplaying game in the style of Ultima Underworld, with keyboard control and FPS elements, but still pure RPG, and not something like "Rune"?
[SUDS] a bit off normal topic
[SUDS] but with the engine so powerful
[QIX] Suds...I'm not saying yes...but I'm definitely not saying no. *grins mischieviously* I can't announce anything.
[SUDS] ah man...
[SUDS] hint

[QIX] Lamer...the voice commo system has two channels (more made everything unintelligible with too many people talking). You hold down the microphone toggle (I use the middle mouse wheel for my button) and just talk into the mike. Anyone that you have set as unmuted can hear you. Two people at any one time can talk. You can see everyoen that TRIES to talk on the HUD. Only the folks with green lights next to their name can be heard though.

[CARO] How does water affect the different weapons? Some work under water, some don't?
[QIX] Yes, caro. The missile launcher acts more like a torpedo launcher underwater. The ELF gun will barbecue the user. The plasma doesn't work at all. Etc.
[CHADMAN] wot about the CG, QIX, can u have underwater fights?
[CARO] It can still target under water? or the missle just shoots straight?
[QIX] pardon the typos
[QIX] Chadman...yes
[CHADMAN] cool
[QIX] caro...no heat lock can be achieved underwater.

[BRIT] Dave, a lot of people have looked at the absolutely stunning pre-release screenshots that are available and are wondering what the minimum hardware specification will be for Tribes 2 when it ships?
[QIX] Brit...we're still figuring that out...but it's likely to be a PII 300 with 64MB RAM and a decent video card.
[BRIT] Dave : cool, thanks.
[QIX] And when we say min spec...we mean that the game can be played well on that system.
[QIX] You might desire to turn down a few graphic optiosn for speed, but it will play well.

[CHADMAN]<[303]Rom> Compared to HL and Q3, what will the system requirements be for running servers? (Should I go and invest in new hardware? )
[QIX] Chadman...dedicated servers can get away with low systems. As long as you're not actually playing in that game, the CPU can handle a LOT. Servers should be more concerned with good connectivity than they are with high CPU.

[DEA_]<Makey>: What about playercounts in clanmatches. Now in europe ppl play with 8vs8 and in states 10vs10. What is the optimal teambalance for T2's maps?
[QIX] Makey...that's entirely up to you, the players. I'm hoping to see leagues start to use more players (I'd love to see 20 on 20 sometime). I like the idea because if teams are bigger, then a "dedicated commander" becomes something useful and I think that would be awesome.

[CARO]<blodbath> will t2 still have ctrl-k?
[QIX] blodbath...yes...but it's been restricted.
[QIX] blodbath...if you CTRL-K, you'll go to a random spawn point. If you CTRL-K again, you'll keep going to the same spawn point each time.
[CHADMAN]
[CARO] Tricky

[POKER] Will there be any major enhancement to the commander mode (such as dedicated observer position or ability to increase firepower of 'commanded players') to make it a more desirable role?
[QIX] Poker...yup. The Command Map is now much more powerful. You can give individual commands, team commmands, commands to only certain groups, you can give commands to repair items, meet at waypoints, you can create waypoints, etc. There's a lot to the Command Map. Very deep. I expect people won't fully utilize until like a month has passed after release.
[QIX] wow. I caught up with the questions.
* QIX grins

[BRIT] Dave, in Tribes 1 the commander screen was always full screen and whilst using it, the player was vulnerable. Will Tribes 2 feature an 'during action' Commander mini screen, or other Commander utilities ?
[QIX] Brit...believe it or not...we like the 'vulnerability'. It was left in that way intentionally.
[QIX] Besides...the command map has so much info that it's more useful full screen anyway.

[POKER] but the main issue is that during a game, ppl just can't afford to spend the time on a commander role as they could be killing someone?
[QIX] Poker...we'll see. I think that you'll see it used more later after people realize how darn useful it is.

[CHADMAN] so commanders, have large signs saying "shoot me" above them?
[QIX] Chadman...nope.
[CHADMAN] aww

[CARO] <Glik> Question: will the blaster shots bounce for sure, or is that still being tested in the balancing? If they do bounce, what terrain will the bounce off of?
[QIX] Glik...they bounce off everything that can't be damaged. And yes, that's in to stay. We like it.

[DEA_] In T1 almost half of the stuff is pretty much useless. In T2 have u balanced the stuff so that everything really is useful or are those just add-ons to the features list? I mean all those packs, many different grenades etc.. many of the packs in T1 is never in use these days. What makes the difference?
[QIX] Pre|BG2...one of my motives this time around was that "if it doesn't add to the game...then cut it". That's why there is no Commander Station now. It's also why the Ammo station got cut.

[POKER]<Stamper> Will players be rewarded for doing nething their commander instructs them to do ? e.g. get some points for repairing a turret which their commander told them to do
[QIX] Stamper...there are defensive points given to players the repair or protect...but not specifically because they were commanded to do so. Giving points for answering commands would be prone to abuse.

[DEA_] i'm pretty unsecure from the usebility of cloaking pack, since the mod that everyone in base loves to hate (renegades) does have one and the use of it is minimal
[QIX] The packs are MUCH better this time around. I think you'll like them all after you get used to them.
[DEA_] thank thee
[QIX] dea_ The cloak pack truly rocks. You'll see. It's much different than what I've heard about that mod you're talking about.
[DEA_] thank god
[QIX] Here's how the cloak pack works:
[QIX] a) It can turn you almost completely invisible...but consumes energy quickly while so doing.
[QIX] b) It blocks radar even when not activated.
[QIX] c) You can find cloaked people by damaging them or watching for them to uncloak while firing.
[QIX] d) You can alos listen for their footsteps, or watch for dust puffs when they're outside.

[CHADMAN] Question: Will there be the possibility of editing your recordings?
[QIX] Sim...it's a possibility. That functionality will get added when we do the Professional Gaming roll-out package a month or so after release. Demo stuff will get VERY powerful at that time.

[BRIT] .1 Dave, a number of people have asked whether or not Tribes 1 veterans will be at an unsurmountable advantage as far as new players are concerned; what are your thoughts on this?
[QIX] Brit...my answer is no. Here's why:
[QIX] a) Players can play single player for training. It's MUCH better than it was in T1.
[QIX] b) You can play local LAN games against bots and get a ton of good practice before going on-line.
[QIX] c) There's a LOT that's in T2 that wasn't in T1 and even the oldsters will need to learn new stuff.
[BRIT] QIX : excellent, and as was expected ; the learning process as far as all the new weapons, utilities, tricks and so on will have to be learnt by old and new alike
[QIX] Brit...true to a certain extent. Oldsters will still understand the basics of skiing and leading with the spinfusor, etc...but it's nothing that would prevent a newbie from picking it up quickly.
[BRIT] QIX : in that case it comes down to that good old fashioned measure of all players : "skill"
[QIX] Brit...yes!

[SUDS] QIX - one issue a lot have is SPAM , public talk - voice packs
[SUDS] is there an advanced mute system?
[SUDS] so it dont clog the connect?
[QIX] Ah...voice packs. Well...a lot of the "Shazbot!" and "I've got your number, I've got ALL your numbers!" types of lines are local only now. In otherwords, they can only be heard by people within 50 meters of you. So spammage is much reduced.
[SUDS] that will make some ppl very happy
[SUDS] is that server side configurable to make it smaller?
[QIX] Not currently, but maybe later as a rollout if people want it.

[CHADMAN] i have heard that only OpenGl is supported?? is that right or is direct3d supported too
[QIX] Chadman...we are an OpenGL engine, yes. We're trying some stuff out now that may allow us to change that answer sligtly, but it's too early to announce

[CARO] <Jehova> Question: Will MODS only be possible through the scripting language or will it be possible to make dll's in any programming language?
[QIX] You'll need to use the scripting language...unless someone does something monumental like creating a script-based converter.

[SUDS] <Siefly> How long before a mine will be diskable?
[QIX] Siefly...never
[QIX] The mine isn't explodable until it activates.

[BRIT] <AH|Sniper_Nr1> asks, how efficient and useful will the Tribes 2 bots be within the context of practising offline to hone your skills ? Will the bots be able to present a real challenge to the single player ?
[QIX] Brit...very. They're a lot of fun and have skill settings from "omigod...how stupid can it be?" to "omigod...it's kicking my ass"
[BRIT] lol - class

[POKER] can the bots use vehicles?
[QIX] Poker...yes. But they don't drive. They can be a gunner or tailgunner though. Admittedly, players will always be better crewmen than bots. Bots are best as individual suits. They play well as part of the team though.

[CHADMAN] <frogman> What are the limits on the ground vehicles? what kind of terrain will they ride on?
[QIX] Chadman...they have a max slope they can climb. Other than that, they can cross most terrain. Air vehicles can "fly" submerged. Tanks and MPBs can drive underwater (but are easier to kill there, so it's not worthwhile most of the time), and the Wildcat can skim over water.

[DEA_] Will bots be more skilled at aiming (like in q3) or skilled in the mold of having the optimal routes preselected for them (UT) - and how will thei'r teamplay be, both from being againts and with them be?
[QIX] dtn|away...the bots have a ton of variables. The skill levels can change how well they navigate, how often they use health kits, how smart they are navigating, how smart they are about changing weapons, their accuracy, and more.

[BRIT] Dave,<Mozilla> would like to know, within the context of the Tribes 2 engine / modelling , will it support Transform & Lighting (TL) ?
[QIX] Brit...yes...we have always supported T&L.

[CARO] what sorts of additions with the community section inside T2 bring?
[QIX] Big question.
* caro drumroll
[QIX] E-mail, forums, community browser (for finding players and tribes), IRC chat, game server lists, warrior setup, and more
[QIX] We'll be adding more too.
[QIX] Like ladders, rankings, tournaments, etc.
[QIX] The idea is to centralize it so that more players get involved in the community and the teamplay rather than just being individual "pubbers".
[QIX] We're not trying to supplant external communities...we're trying to get more interest in them and make them accessible from a centralized "hub".

[CHADMAN] Can you give us an idea of the improvements you are making to observer mode, and support for shoutcasters and live video stream
[QIX] Chadman...nope. Not yet. We're still designing and I hate announcing anything before we decide.
[QIX] Sorry
[CHADMAN] ok..
[CHADMAN]

[BRIT] Dave, a question from all those who want to know about the in game soundtracks : will Tribes 2 music be of a dance/techno/rock persuasion, and have you signed any 'known names' to deliver it ?
[QIX] The music is created by "Score!", a music house here in Oregon that does great stuff for us. The themes are created, one for each of the major worlds, so that each setting has its own theme.
[BRIT] Excellent, thanks.
[QIX] The music is MP3, so yes, you can listen to it anywhere.
[CARO]
[BRIT] mp3 ? whats that then ?
* QIX can't wait for someone to script an MP3 player inside T2 so you can listen to any music you desire.
* Chadman dreams of that too
[QIX] I think someone in beta was already making that script.
[CHADMAN] HO to heavy Rock
[CARO] but then you can't hear the sneaky dude in the cloak pack
[QIX] True, caro...true.
[BRIT] I'd prefer an MP3 player you can play Tribes 2 on tbh

[CHADMAN] <Nicodemus> Question: What the hell does Shazbot mean?
[QIX] lol
[POKER] mork & mindy wasn't it?
[QIX] A long time ago, when Qix was just a wee laddy, there was a TV show called "Mork and Mindy" with Robin Williams. Shazbot! was what Mork said instead of cussing.
[CARO] How did it start though?
[QIX] We stole it.
[QIX] ERr...paid homage to it.
[QIX] That IS how it started.
[CHADMAN]

[QIX] lamer...no design, production, or plans for TIII are in place yet. Rumors are false...even though we will almost certainly make TIII one day.

[SUDS] Qix
[SUDS] since we know you are mad busy and have to run off to work
[QIX] yup
[QIX] There's this little thing called "Tribes2" that Sierra seems to be keen on me finishing..
* QIX grins
[SUDS] We here in europe would like to thank you a lot for coming over to talk to us
[DEA_] Indeed.
[SUDS] a big thanks from Gameshrine and ETP and ESN
[CHADMAN] yes...many thanks
[SUDS] Sooo.... one last question
[QIX] Glad to come by. I hadn't done one of these in ages and I wanted to make sure you guys got the scoop for a change.
[SUDS] will it be a summer or winter release?
[QIX] LOL
[BRIT] heh
[QIX] How the heck should I know?
[CHADMAN]
* QIX laughs
[SUDS] i thought you may
[POKER] the answer to that is 'yes'
[SUDS] you do some work for dynamix dont u ? :P
[QIX] I've been known to do a bit, yes.
[QIX] ; )
[SUDS] thanks m8
[SUDS] You can get back to work now, and give us our beloved T2!!!!
[QIX] Okay. I'm outta here then. The game will be here soon (relatively). I hope you all will like it.
[QIX] Bye all!
[CHADMAN] we cant wait for it QIX

this can all eb found at gameshrine.com

strat

What utter spam

---

Ph33r CATBERT !!!

[This message has been edited by StrataGIST (edited 04-02-2001).]

Cr8or

Na I want people 2 know I was there when he was speaking and I know a lot of other people where not